Carah Ong Whaley

Carah Ong Whaley has been the Director of Election Protection at Issue One since March 2024. With a background at the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics and as co-chair of the American Political Science Association’s Civic Engagement section, her expertise has been recognized in major publications, including the Wall Street Journal and NPR. Carah has contributed significantly to the field through her co-authorship and editing of notable works such as “The Red Ripple: The 2022 Midterm Elections and What They Mean For 2024” and “Civic Pedagogies: Teaching Civic Engagement in Era of Divisive Politics.” Prior to joining Issue One, she was the Associate Director at the James Madison Center for Civic Engagement and has a rich history of working with NGOs on security issues. Appointed to Virginia’s Complete Count Commission in 2020, Carah holds a PhD in American Government from the University of Virginia, furthering her contributions to civic engagement and election protection initiatives.